TopGunn#22

I'm with you chpettit19. I like this pick a LOT. Houston is either the #1 or #2 defensive SS of this draft. He's a college player so he will move quickly in the system. It may be that Houston (or Culpepper) are the plan for when Correa has to move to 3B.

Those are good counter points Indiana Twin. Yes, there will be arbitration increases, but also some money coming OFF the books as well. And some of that money could come off sooner if trades happen at the deadline. The Twins wouldn't necessarily be only getting players 2-4 years away from the major leagues. That may be true if the players traded were Castro, Bader, Paddack and Coulombe. But the hot rumor right now if Ryan was traded to the Red Sox is that it would bring All Star Jarren Duran back. With his 2025 not quite as awesome as his 2024 to this point, I think the Red Sox would need to come up with more than just Jarren Duran to get Ryan. The Red Sox have a BIG logjam of outfielders with young talent like Anthony and Abreu, along with Ceddane Rafaela. Something has to give. I wonder what additional players could be included in a Ryan deal along with Jarren Duran. If the Twins made Jhoan Duran available I think they could get catcher Dalton Rushing from the Dodgers. Throw in Willi Castro and the Twins could get quite a haul from L.A. The Twins seem to be on a bit of a roll as we cruise into the All Star game. But the trade deadline offers an opportunity to re-tool the roster and still contend. Even if the return for Buxton was a possible major league Ace in Andrew Painter and a CF rerplacement like Crawford from the Phillies, I just can't see any possibility of a Buxton trade. If Byron can somehow replicate Paul Molitor's better health in his 30's than in his 20's and you factor in the team friendly contract Buxton is one, there's just no way a FO with any brains at all would even consider trading him.

THIS is the Byron Buxton Twins fans have been imagining and waiting on. Buck is the kind of player that more fans will show up just to see the guy play, regardless of the standings or playoff chances. My fingers are crossed that Byron will take a Paul Molitor career track and find himself able to stay healthier as he approaches his 30's as opposed to his 20's. If Molitor can do it, Buxton surely can. The Twins have some momentum going into the All Star break. Here's hoping they can stay on a roll all the way to the trade deadline. I still think Castro, Bader, Paddack and Coulombe need to traded. Keaschall, Lopez, Ober...ALL of these guys, along with a resurgent Royce Lewis could keep the Twins in the Wild Card race. If the new ownership and FO next season feel the Twins really need Castro and/or Bader, they can re-sign them. But it's time to cash those chips in for the best return possible.

Excellent point Patzky. Of course Dalton Rushing would be a key target. But an arm like Bobby Miller, who has struggled with health issues and just some bad pitching, but who still has a 98 mph fastball is the kind of "throw in" talent the Twins should be looking at. You could always include Castro in a deal with Duran to maximize your return. There is talent to be had from the Dodgers, especially as this current losing streak advances. I think the Dodgers are a bit panicky, and I think pushing their buttons SOONER rather than waiting for the deadline is a good strategy and would also set the Twins up for what they might be looking at for more expected deals involving Bader, Paddack and Coulombe.

This team just isn't good enough to be buyers and the mediocrity we've been blessed with the last 5 years tells me the leadership isn't the answer either. New Owners, New FO, New Manager and coaching staff, and, some new talent on the field after some deadline deals. I'm all for trading Duran. His value has never been higher. He's going to be very expensive starting next season, and we have Jax and Varland who are closer material. The premise of this article is a trade with the Blue Jays. I respect the thought that went into the article, but in the final analysis, the Blue Jays can't compete with the Dodgers, Red Sox or Phillies. The Red Sox have Aroldis Chapman and probably need SP more. But they could be interested in building their own "Super Bullpen" for 2025 and they probably won't have Chapman in 2026. The Dodgers have all sorts of closer types in their BP but injuries and ineffective pitching have left them with no clear "Stud" to close games. The Phillies are also lacking that "Stud" to close and Jose Alvarado is ineligible to pitch in the post season. There is no way even the Twins FO should screw up a massive bidding war for an arm like Duran at the deadline. My money is on the Dodgers, but Boston and the Phillies could make it interesting. It's pretty obvious that the Red Sox think their biggest trade chip is outfielder Jarren Duran. An All Star last year, his play has dipped a bit, his OPS this year is .745. It was .834 in 2024 and .828 in 2023. He can take over LF after Bader is traded and be the primary backup to Buxton in CF. He's very athletic and a great defender. The Red Sox OF is overflowing with talent. They need to trade someone. I'd make Duran a target. And I'd be aggressive in getting Jarren Duran. It opens up the ability to trade Bader and even Larnach or Wallner if the FO was open to it. Making trades has a domino effect on a roster. ONE trade usually fixes something, but a series of trades with a purpose and plan in mind should always be the strategy.

Amen Chief ! How is it that many of us on TD had a better understanding of what this team was LONG before Rocco?? It's hard to discern what John B is actually saying here. Is he lauding Rocco for finally figuring this out? Or is it a subtle message like "why did it take so long to figure this out??" All the points John B makes are valid. But it's the FO and manager who constructed a roster with only 3 guys who can be aggressive on the bases and one other guy who's hitting about .100 on the season to pinch run and play late inning defense. Injuries to the rotation have been tough, but there are plenty of teams in MLB who are suffering the same calamity. We read a lot about how good the Twins BP would be this year and with the exception of Jax at the beginning of the year (he's back to his awesome self) the BP has been outstanding. Add the BP to Buxton having his best year ever and the Twins are still below .500. This "new philosophy" is too little, too late for me. I'm ready for a housecleaning after the team is sold. It can start with the FO and continue to Rocco and the entire coaching staff. Something also needs to be done in the minor leagues where our player development seems to be lacking. Rocco may be managing differently than he has in the past, but when you only have Buxton, Castro and Bader who can make something happen on the bases, and Bader and Castro will probably (should probably) be traded at the deadline, what's Rocco going to do then??

I'm not in favor of trading Joe Ryan. But I agree with tony&rodney, it all depends on what the return is. A pitcher like Ryan, with his stock as high as it's ever been right now, would have the potential to bring a "franchise altering haul" in talent back. The key word there is "potential." Do we trust the current FO to make a good trade? That's another very interesting topic. A team like the Dodgers could probably overwhelm any offer from other teams. The players that tony&rodney listed from the Dodgers would have the potential to make a tremendously positive impact on the Twins roster. Remember, the Seattle Mariners moved on from Ken Griffey Jr. Randy Johnson and A-Rod in the span of 2 seasons, and then set an American League record with 116 wins. I've always liked Jarren Duran, but he alone one-for-for wouldn't be enough for Joe Ryan. I believe that Ryan and Lopez are the foundation for a very good #1 & #2 atop the Twins rotation. But if you have any doubts the Twins will pony up the kind of money to re-sign Ryan before he gets to test free agency, then you have to be willing to at least consider what you could get back with him at peak value.

In the current state the Twins find themselves in, I'd do this trade. Anyone who has watched the Twins play this year knows this team is flawed. Stewart has been outstanding when healthy and I think Dinges is a good target. Honestly, fringe players, especially on the last year of their contract---Bader, Castro, Coulombe, Paddack...ALL of these guys should be dealt. Stewart, while controlled for a couple more years is a good piece to get something good back. I agree that I could see the Twins trade one of Duran or Jax, keeping the other one for your closer in 2026. I wouldn't think of moving Varland. I'd even consider moving SWR if I liked what was coming back. This is a time to rebalance the roster. Bring in some prospects from "A" ball to AAA ball and see if we can bring a skill set or three we don't currently have. The Twins can be sellers and still possibly contend for a Wild Card if Lopez, Keaschall, E-Rod and others get healthy and are brought up to see what they can do. Lewis getting healthier and hitting would be a big plus. Wallner as well.

I appreciate how Western SD Fan laid out the 5 pitchers, 3 of whom were All Star selections and two of whom (Ryan and Eovaldi) were not. It's interesting to note that Ryan has the highest mid-season WAR of all of them (although with deGrom having better stats top to bottom than Ryan, I'm not sure what the calculation for WAR is missing there). Clearly, with Bobby Witt Jr. making the team, Ryan should have been selected over Bubic. Like the Twins, the Royals have really been floundering lately, but I would have ranked Ryan's snub equal to the snub of Maikal Garcia. He's CLEARLY had a better season than Jazz Chisolm. This is what is frustrating as a baseball fan. You see a Yankee selected over a Royal and it's infuriating. But just as you're getting ready to have a slow boil over "New York Favoritism," you see a stud like the Mets Juan Soto passed over and you just throw your hands up in exasperated confusion. I will ALWAYS love the Baseball All Star Game. It's the best of them all by a mile. But I guess there will always be controversy over who makes the team and who does not. Especially with a rule that says every team must be represented no matter how lacking in talent that team is.

As I was reading this I was thinking...is Gonzalez a RH version of Arraez? I got some kind of validation from Matt at the end. This season, he has displayed excellent bat-to-ball skills, something sorely lacking at the major league level for the Twins. He's not overly athletic, so he may have limitations defensively as far as range. But he has the best ARM in our minor leagues and is probably on a par with Buxton and Wallner. Having a cannon for an arm does not make for a defensive ace for a team. (Wallner is exhibit "A") But it doesn't hurt at all either. If Gonzalez can consistently catch what he gets to, he may be more Rocky Colovito in the outfield than early career Frank Howard. That he's a RH hitter leads you to believe he can hit LH or RH pitching, unlike Wallner and Larnach who still seem overmatched by LH pitchers. As far as trading Bader, I'm all for it. He had a GREAT game yesterday and I've enjoyed his stellar defense in LF all season. But this team is not good. Bader's value keeps edging upward. Sell him for as much as you can get. New ownership can always make a bid to sign him in the off season. Remember how many times the Twins traded Rick Aguilara late in his career, only to re-sign him in the off season?

I always appreciate these articles even if I don't agree with the proposed trade. It's like when we were kids trading baseball cards with the guys from our neighborhood. Sometimes you got some pretty one sided offers, but the discussion that followed (I'm not trading you Tony Oliva for Felipe Alou!!!) was priceless, and sometimes I learned that Felipe Alou wasn't a bad player, just someone I didn't know enough about. I'm not looking to trade Buxton, but I appreciate the opinion that the discussion BEGINS with Andrew Painter, one of the top pitching prospects in MLB, not just for the Phillies (and not Abel) and that additional prospects would have to be part of the deal. I agree with La-Z-Boy. I appreciate reading a little about what prospects could realistically be coming back from the Yankees for Willi Castro. I like the LH Starting Pitcher as a starting point. Even if I don't agree with someone's post, I'll still give a thumbs up if his argument was solid and made sense. And really, isn't that why we come to TD EVERY DAY? To read the articles and then read the comments from guys we're all familiar with from their previous comments?? The writers at TD need to put out articles EVERY DAY. Sometimes it may seem like it's "click bait" but don't we all love talking about baseball?? Let's tone down the negativity and look more for the positive even if we don't agree with what someone is saying. I'm in the camp that the Twins should be selling. I just don't want to sell core pieces like Buxton, Correa, Ryan and Lopez. Castro, Bader, Coulumbe, Jeffers, Larnach, Wallner, SWR, and such, I'm O.K. with entertaining offers. I'm looking forward to new owners, new leadership, new style of play, new philosophy...New Everything. It bugs me that the current leadership will be making some key decisions THIS trade deadline. But I'm also betting that the new owners aren't going to want the moribund "status quo" of the current regime. The Twins can be "sellers" and still plug some holes in this season's roster and hopefully make the 2026 roster far superior to the current model.

Most trade ideas I appreciate. It's fun to do some quick mental analysis and make a determination. This didn't take much time to say...NO.

I've been advocating making Duran available to the Dodgers in a deal for Rushing for quite some time. I think the Dodgers would look at Duran as a final piece to repeating as World Series Champs. The guy who locks down their BP and every one of the good arms they currently have in their BP leads to Duran closing the game. Here's a suggestion that others who have access to BBTV can critique and expand on. Even though the Dodgers are giving up Rushing, I think a small overpay for them to get get Duran makes a trade like this possible. Dodgers Get: Duran 19.1 Jeffers 19.4 Castro 10.5 Total 49.0 (these are my most current figures and may not be completely accurate. Castro's value especially may have risen). Twins Get: Rushing 43.1 Bobby Miller 0.0 and Gavin Stone 6.7. Stone and Miller have been 2 highly touted Dodger pitchers who are battling injuries. Much like Brock Stewart, a former Dodger SP with great potential who the Twins acquired, Miller and Stone are gambles for the Twins but could be acceptable throw-ins for the Dodgers. Last I saw, Miller's value had cratered to zero. Stone, in my opinion is incredibly low at 6.7. He's injured and missing the entire year. His value would begin to grow once he starts demonstrating improved health. Rushing is the key piece. We send Jeffers off to back up All Star Will Smith and Rushing steps into the primary catcher position with Vasquez behind him. Miller and Stone with their electric arms can rest and rehab until next year. If progress with their health is made, the Twins have 2 more young SP's to add to a potential staff led by Lopez and Ryan with a healthier Ober for 2026. This would give the Twins a MUCH deeper pitching staff as well as add their "Catcher of the Future" who should be an impact bat in the middle of their lineup. The Dodgers get their stud closer to lead their BP. They get a decent offensive catcher to back up Will Smith, and they get the kind of versatile player they love in Willi Castro, setting up a successful run to a 2nd consecutive World Series Championship. The selling point to the Dodgers for giving up a top prospect like Rushing as well as a couple of promising, yet injury hampered arms, is the successful defense of their World Series Championship. That's all that should matter to the Dodgers. They can use their deep pockets and rich farm system to simply reload for 2026. The Twins should be dealing Bader and Paddack for sure. One of Larnach or Wallner is interesting to consider. Guys like Julien and Miranda should be strongly considered in any package. It's time to start re-working this roster. Buxton, Correa, Lopez, Ryan, they should be staying. With Duran going, I make Jax the closer. I think he can handle it. It would be preferable to have a new ownership with a new FO and a new manager and coaching staff making these decisions but that's not possible. A new approach, a new philosophy, a new vision for how the game should be played is needed. It would be best to have that new manager and coaching staff determine what that roster would look like and the kinds of players needed to make it a reality. But that is not OUR reality as fans right now. We need change. Let that change have it's beginning at the trade deadline and once new ownership is a reality, let them further refine what the Twins will ultimately become.

I agree Jeff K. Why does the SP have to come from St. Paul?? John Klein intrigues me. Good Size, smooth delivery hitting 97 on the radar gun. You need a guy for ONE spot start? AA is as good as AAA in many situations. Give the ball to John Klein. The Twins have never had a "Klein" on their team. Maybe it's time.

I love the idea of a Bremmer or Gage Wood with that first pick ! A college arm, oozing "stuff" with a minimum of rough edges to iron out. We really need Dasan Hill or Connor Prielipp to develop into something as well. As others have said, if we become sellers at the deadline and we add some minor league hitters at positions of need to the big league club in the very near future, I wouldn't be opposed to going heavy with pitching prospects. I'm primarily focused on "value" in whatever slot we're drafting. If a Bremmer or Wood ends up as our top pick, I would look to who is the best value at the #36 comp pick. If it's the Indiana slugger, a High School SS, or as Doc Gast so consistently points out, a Catcher...who will STAY at Catcher, I'm all for it. I have suggested in the past that I would offer the Dodgers Jhoan Duran and additional pieces for their #1 catching prospect Dalton Rushing. Rushing has become the primary back up to All Star Will Smith. Rushing has also shown the athletic ability to play some LF and could probably handle 1B as well. But Rushing's top skill is his hitting ability. The Dodgers are failing to capitalize on this because his playing time has been sporadic. The Dodgers could also use a true closer like Duran to allow the odds and ends assortment of their bullpen to just line up behind Duran. It could be the one trade piece that pushes the Dodgers to a 2nd consecutive World Series victory. They just might part with Rushing. Maybe we throw in Vasquez so they have a defense-first veteran backup catcher as they have had with Austin Barnes in the past. Getting a bat with the potential of Rushing in any kind of deadline deal would be making a move to win in 2025 in addition to future years. A combo of Rushing and Jeffers would be an offensive PLUS from the catcher position, although neither are considered Bench/Molina/Pudge material. Rushing at least profiles as "better" than Jeffers defensively.

The first thing I noticed about Klein was his size/frame and the smooth, easy delivery with a 95-97mph fastball. He looks legit. Gabe Gonzalez is a guy who had promise when we first acquired him in the Pablo Lopez package for Luis Arraez. But he struggled for a season and a half. He's really putting it together this year. He's more of a doubles/gap power guy. Not a ton of speed. But he also may have the best outfield arm in the Twins system. It's a CANNON. With E-Rod and Jenkins coming up, and Wallner and Larnach currently on the Twins and all being LH hitters, Gonzalez could be a RH corner OF bat in the not too distant future.

I think we need to get over the notion that if we sell, especially on the fringes, we will will fall apart as a team. We're already falling apart and some of the players we could get back would have the potential to help us. Guys like Lewis and Keaschall are coming back. We're not going anywhere unless some of our young pitching prospects (Festa, Matthews, SWR, maybe Morris) step up. Duran, Castro, Paddack and Bader should all be dealt. Guys like Julien and Miranda have no future with the Twins. France is a maybe. If I'm getting a solid return for Duran, I do it and make Jax my closer. Paddack should be moved to give someone like Festa a chance. They are still mathematically in the Wild Card race, but this roster is still horribly constructed. We can be sellers and STILL compete for a Wild Card. This is as much about 2026 as it is this season. I'd rather have a completely different FO making these decisions, but we're stuck with what we got until new ownership.

I agree with Matthew's article. The Twins FO, whether this has been a directive of the Pohlad Family (which they repeatedly deny) or not, has been famous for lacking the guts to make a move that could really help the Twins "AT THE DEADLINE." They have made some trades in the off season that have been good and some that have been bad, but since the early 2000's they have never made a deal that really was a difference maker for the ballclub. Even though they are mathematically still in the Wild Card race, this team's flaws are far too great to have any impact in the playoffs should they make it. I would like to see a new "everything" with new ownership. New FO, new manager, new coaching staff and new philosophy as to how the game should be played. I would not deal Buxton, Correa, Lopez or Ryan. But the fact of the matter is this FO should be sellers at the deadline. Anything not nailed down to a solid future with this ballclub should have a "For Sale" sign on it. This team has a TON of pieces they could move for either major league talent straight up, or more logically, young talent that is months or less than a year from being considered for the major league roster. One of those possible pieces is Duran or Jax. Auction one of them off to the highest bidder and the one remaining becomes or remains the closer for the rest of this season and beyond. Bader, France and Castro should also be considered moveable. Paddack should be dealt. I'd consider moving on from Larnach in the right deal. Julien and Miranda should be packaged for sure. They really have no future on a Twins roster. SWR should be in conversations. I think his future is as a 2-3 inning guy a couple times a week. He could be very valuable in such a role. I don't see him as a long term rotation piece. Ober cannot be dealt because his value has taken such a big hit. Getting him healthy and "right" is essential to future success. The Twins can sell off a ton of players and quite possibly not see a radical fall off from their current Wild Card playoff hopes.

I agree. I'm dealing Duran and making Jax our closer for the rest of this season. Duran is exactly what the Phillies need at this time and the prospects listed are interesting. I'd like a little more detail on the prospects, especially the young catcher, Tait. How many years is he from being a big leaguer? What level is he currently playing at? Despite how bad they've been, the Twins are remarkably very much in the Wild Card mix. I don't think this team, with all the flaws it has, is anywhere near a threat to any of the better teams in the A.L. But last year, the Tigers traded Flaherty to the Dodgers, STILL made the playoffs and made a little noise. I have no expectations for the Twins to make the post season, or do anything noteworthy if they somehow do. But the notion that they can't compete if they deal Duran or Castro or Bader etc...is false. The Tigers proved that last year. If the Twins were to somehow bumble their way into the playoffs I would consider it a bonus. But they should be actively looking to sell some players who could bring a nice return and hopefully restock some talent in the system with the plan being a better balanced roster in 2026 and 2027. What IS Royce Lewis's long term position with the Twins? Should they just give him a 1B mitt and hope to hide him there while maximizing his offense? Is it time to move on from Lewis? Not at the trade deadline, but in the off season, in the hopes that his value will rise with positive reports on his health (you know, Royce is in the best shape of his LIFE !!!). Some really big decisions need to be made in the coming months. Will the Pohlad's and Falvey be making them? Or someone else?

This is pretty much what we've come to expect from the Pohlad family and the current FO. If it wasn't so frustrating it would be a great comedy.

It never ceases to amaze me how absolutely tone deaf the Twins organization is to public relations. If there was one thing they could have done to completely throw cold water on any optimism that things could change for the better in 2026 with an ownership change and other big changes coming to the FO and dugout it was this announcement. Our only hope, now that they've dropped this Bunker-Busting-Bomb on us fans, is that new ownership WILL happen by Thanksgiving and that new ownership realizes a complete house cleaning is needed to get a new philosophy, outlook and perspective for this franchise.

That was me to some extent MinninPa. But if that player turns into Kyle Schwarber, then I'm learning to adapt my thinking somewhat. Especially if that player stays healthy and plays 150 games per year. I like the strategy with the pitching staff regarding a pitcher like Ohl. I just don't understand how the Twins can get a RP warmed up, into the game, he throws 4 pitches, gets them out of the jam, and then he's done for the night. And they wonder why their BP is worn down and exhausted. The idea of having TWO of these type of pitchers holding down the last two slots of your BP and a top 6 with highly defined roles makes a lot of sense. I kind of think SWR could be an excellent candidate for this type of role...2 or three innings at a time, once of twice a week with sufficient rest in between. However, this would require a manager who would manage his BP completely differently than Rocco Baldelli, and with the news that Rocco is coming back next year, this type of BP philosophy will have to wait until 2027. Unless the new owners tell the Pohlad's "Thank You" we've got other ideas.

I completely agree the Twins should take him if he falls to #16. That's a big "if" but he would be my pick. He was tremendous in that no-hit, 19 K game. I was wowed. Now, that one game cannot be the entire basis of your selection, but it looks like he's got 2 PLUS-PLUS pitches in his fastball and curveball. If he can perfect a change-up that would be an excellent mix. You can say it was against against Murray State, but the Racers got there and made some noise as well.

You hit the nail on the head Matthew. This has been one of my biggest disappointments with Rocco since 2020. In 2019, when the Bomba Squad was setting a Major League single season record with over 300 HR's bunting was the furthest thing from any Twins fan's mind. But I've said many times on TD I think that season ruined Rocco. Somewhere in his minor league managing past he had to play "small ball" with a team or two. Not every team Rocco has managed has had HR hitters top to bottom. Because of Rocco's philosophy, I don't think the Twins spend ANY time working on bunting, and it shows. In the game of baseball, a bunt can be a HUGE weapon if the circumstances call for it. Rocco's Twins teams have always been weak in regard to situational hitting. It's one of the reasons a change needs to made for 2026. If Vasquez successfully bunts the runner to 3rd, the Astros most likely play the infield in. That raises Jeffers batting average by 100 points. When the visiting team fails to tally that go-ahead run, it makes it much, much easier for the home team to scratch that run out. I'm not sure how other Twins fans feel, but I'm ready for change. This is a culmination of 7 years of frustration. New Owner. New Manager. New Front Office. New Philosophy.

O.K. Dr. Gast, I don't have all the updated numbers but what you gave me helps. Rushing 43.6 to the Twins Duran 12.0 Castro 11.0 Jeffers 19.4 42.4 The Twins do it to avoid paying Duran and Castro in 2026 and their willing to include Jeffers because they will have Rushing. Twins do a re-set, Jax becomes the closer and Rushing plays catcher 2 out of 3 games and DH's when he's not catching. The kid is oozing with offensive potential. The Dodgers do it because their bullpen is a merry-go-round of hurt...not hurt and Duran gives them a flame thrower who becomes their closer. Scott, Yates and Vesia have all had their chance and come up short. Kopech is back but with his injury history he'll be on the I.L. again by July 1st. This leaves the Dodgers with a stable of power arms for their BP and rotation. Duran's durability clinches the deal. In the end, it's all about winning World Series Championships for the Dodgers and this fits the bill for them. They will simply reload and sign another stud catcher. They've dealt more catchers in the past 10 years than anybody, and yet they keep coming up with them. Twins lean on young players (like the Tigers last year) and see what happens. New ownership takes over by Christmas.